Stirrup.



H. METCALF.

STIRRUP.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, I914.

hmfi lmw Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

THE NORRiS PE I'ERS (:0, PHOTO LITHQ, WASHINGTON. D. L.

V HOMER METGALF, OF TRIBBEY, OKLAHOMA.

intense.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

Application filed July 25, 1914. Serial No. 853,056.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOMER METOALF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tribbey, in the county of Pottawatomie and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stirrups, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

. This invention relates to saddle stirrups and an object thereof is the provision of a stirrup which will automatically disengage itself from a persons foot, when he falls out of the saddle.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a stirrup which is supported by a suspending strap in the ordinary manner, the stirrup comprising a stationary leg and a hinged leg, the hinged leg being detachably connected at its upper endto one end of the block, and the stationary leg being securely fastened at its upper end to the other end of the block, means being carried by the block for engagement against the suspending strap to release the hinged leg of the stirrup from the block when a person falls from the saddle.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a side elevational view of a stirrup constructed in accordance with my invention, the suspending strap being partially broken away; and Fig. 2 is an edge elevational view of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the head block of my improved stirrup, to one end of which a leg 2 is permanently connected at its upper end, the lower end of the leg being turned inwardly as at 3, and hingedly connected to the free extremity of the leg 2 is the inturned end 4 of a similar leg 5. The upper end of the leg 5 is adapted to engage against the opposite end of the block 1 and project above the same, and formed in the leg 5 is an inclined slot 6, the upper end of which extends above the upper face of the block 1. Formed in the upper face of the block 1 is a longitudinally extending groove 7 which extends from a point intermediate of the ends of the block to the end of the block against which the leg 5 engages, and

rotatably held within the groove 7 by suitable bearings 8, is a lever 9 the inner end of which is directed laterally to provide an operating arm 10, and the other end of which prOJects beyond the end of the block and is bent to extend substantially at right angles to the longitudinal plane of the lever, to provide a locking arm 11. The stirrup is supported by the usual looped suspending strap 12, the strap extending around the block 1, the arms of the strap extending upwardly on opposite sides of the arm 10 of the lever to inclose the same.

In the practical use of my improved stirrup, the locking arm 11 of the lever is disposed throngh the inclined slot 6, and as the operating arm 10 of the lever is normally disposed in a vertical position owing to its engagement between the arms of the suspending strap 12, the locking arm 11 is maintained transversely of the leg 5, so that the arm is held out of alinement with the inclined slot 6, so that the leg is detachably locked to the block. Should the person whose foot is mounted in the stirrup fall from the saddle, the top of the stirrup will be tilted rearwardly owing to the firm engagement of the foot in the stirrup, thereby alining the slot in the leg 5 with the looking arm 11, so that the leg 5 may swing outwardly from engagement with the looking arm, thereby allowing the foot to be immediately disengaged from the stirrup. It will be seen that immediately upon the alinement with the slot 6 with the arm 11, the inturned portion 4: of the leg 5 will move downwardly owing to gravity, thereby swinging the upper end of the leg outwardly so that it will be impossible for a persons foot to hang in the stirrup when the locking arm is disengaged from the hinged leg. It vwill of course be understood that if desired, a suitable spring may be provided to force the hinged leg outwardly when the locking arm is disengaged therefrom, but this is thought to be unnecessary, as the weight of the leg will immediately cause the same to fall outwardly and downwardly upon its release.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is I 1. The combination with a looped suspending strap, of a head block carried by said suspending strap, a leg secured at its upper end to one end of the c a dleg hingedly connected at its lowerend to the lower end of the first leg, the upper end of the second leg being adapted for engagement against the opposite end of the block, and means pivotally connected to the block to normally maintain the hinged leg in engagement therewith, said means including a normally vertical portion adapted for engagement between the arms of the suspending strap to maintain said locking means in locking engagement with the hinged leg when said legs are disposed in vertical alinement with the suspending strap.

2. A device of the character described comprising a head block, a leg rigidly secured at its upper end to one end of the head block, a second leg hingedly connected at its lower end to the lower end of the first leg, the upper end of the second leg being adapted for engagement against the other end of said block, the upper end of the second leg having a slot formed therein, a lever connected to the block, said lever having a portion adapted to project through the slot to detachably lock the second leg against said block and arranged to aline with the slot, and means for maintaining the locking portion of the lever disposed out of alinement with said slot.

8. The combination with a looped suspending strap, of a head block supported in the strap, a leg secured at its upper end to one end of the block, a second leg hingedly connected at its lower end to the lower end of the first leg, the upper end of said second leg being adapted for engagement against the other end of the block, the last mentioned leg having an inclined slot formed therein, the upper end of which projects above the upper face of the block, and a lever rotatably connected to the upper face of the block and having one end thereof extended vertically between the arms of the suspending strap, the other end of said lever being directed at a plane at right angles to the longitudinal plane of the vertically directed end or" the lever for engagement through said inclined slot.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HOMER METCALF.

Witnesses:

E. P. WALLACE, W. S. CONATSER.

H: Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

